Hirundines and Chiffchaffs

06.55-07.25 a superb half hour at the fishing boats with in excess of 10,000 Swallows out towards France creating a marvellous spectacle. The French  coast was as clear as I have ever seen it and the sea was like a mirror, as the Swallows and smaller numbers of Martin's came over the beach they flew very low over the sea towards the french coast some picking insects off the surface as they went. As far as I could see in all directions there were Hirundines making there way south. Also seen were 12 Sandwich Terns, 1 Common Tern, 2 Common Scoter, 3 Teal, 1 Turnstone on the beach and c100 Meadow Pipits coasting west. 

A plod around the Desert and the bushes around The Point found:

Chiffchaff: 91

Blackcap: 18

Common Whitethroat: 9

Lesser Whitethroat: 1

Reed Warbler: 2

Stonechat: 2

Whinchat: 4

Wheatear: 4

Spotted Flycatcher: 3

Robin: 8

Blue Tit: 6

Great Tit: 7

Meadow Pipit: c100

Linnet: c70

Marsh Harrier: 1

Hirundines: 1,000s more

At the observatory many more Chiffchaff and Blackcaps, with at least 1 Garden warbler and 2 Reed Warblers.

Chiffchaffs seemed evenly spread across the peninsular there must have been 1,000s of them here today. The Swallows were seen in large numbers across Walland Marsh as well as the peninsular probably totaling 10s of 1,000s.

In a couple of visits to the ARC 6 Ruff, 8 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Avocet, 3 Curlew Sandpipers, 2 Little Stints, 6 Dunlin, 8 Common Snipe, c100 Golden Plover. The track to Hanson and the Willow trail were full of Chiffchaffs.

At the pines early evening 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 1 Redstart and 50+ Chiffchaffs with Swallows still moving south.